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Lago
05-02-2015, 01:10 PM
Reports that the next round of tv bidding for EPL rights could be worth up to £4 billion. The rich get richer and the SPFL can't even attract a sponser, what chance have got.

Ross4356
05-02-2015, 01:32 PM
We need to stop comparing SPFL with the EPl, the sooner we do that the better and people will accept the standard of football more

Pretty Boy
05-02-2015, 01:38 PM
We need to stop comparing SPFL with the EPl, the sooner we do that the better and people will accept the standard of football more

Spot on.

Almost exactly what Barry Hearn tried to tell the blazers at Hampden when he tore them apart a couple of months ago. Stop trying to compete or compare with the EPL and sell and support your own product.

The fact our leagues have no sponsor is a disgrace. The sponsorship should have been gifted to a charity or charities if one couldn't be found. Not only would it have been a decent thing to do, it would also have demonstrated to potential sponsors the audience that could be reached.

Just Alf
05-02-2015, 02:00 PM
We need to stop comparing SPFL with the EPl, the sooner we do that the better and people will accept the standard of football more


Spot on.

Almost exactly what Barry Hearn tried to tell the blazers at Hampden when he tore them apart a couple of months ago. Stop trying to compete or compare with the EPL and sell and support your own product.

The fact our leagues have no sponsor is a disgrace. The sponsorship should have been gifted to a charity or charities if one couldn't be found. Not only would it have been a decent thing to do, it would also have demonstrated to potential sponsors the audience that could be reached.

Brilliant posts... especially the bit in bold.

I'm clinging on to the fact that when our TV rights come up for renewal, with both SKY and BT interested (to whatever degree) we'll see competition, for the 1st time ever, that might up the price.... a bit.

Weststandwanab
05-02-2015, 02:35 PM
Reports that the next round of tv bidding for EPL rights could be worth up to £4 billion. The rich get richer and the SPFL can't even attract a sponser, what chance have got.

The reason we do not have a league Sponsor can be answered in one word

Doncaster


Brilliant posts... especially the bit in bold.

I'm clinging on to the fact that when our TV rights come up for renewal, with both SKY and BT interested (to whatever degree) we'll see competition, for the 1st time ever, that might up the price.... a bit.

Spot on.

NAE NOOKIE
05-02-2015, 02:41 PM
Spot on.

Almost exactly what Barry Hearn tried to tell the blazers at Hampden when he tore them apart a couple of months ago. Stop trying to compete or compare with the EPL and sell and support your own product.

The fact our leagues have no sponsor is a disgrace. The sponsorship should have been gifted to a charity or charities if one couldn't be found. Not only would it have been a decent thing to do, it would also have demonstrated to potential sponsors the audience that could be reached.

Bang on in both points PB.

However .... Our youngsters are comparing our game to what they see on TV and that's a big problem we need to get around. If I had my way EPL and Spanish football would be severely restricted in Scotland. Unless SKY and BT were willing to admit the detrimental affect their saturation coverage is having on our game and compensate us accordingly.

HappyAsHellas
05-02-2015, 02:43 PM
Scottish football has to get it's own identity and keep well clear of any comparisons with the EPL. BBC average more than 4 million viewers for MOTD, while a big live Scottish match can attract about 250k viewers. There is a product to sell, as average punters through the gates have increased since Rangers went belly up. Do we have the people at the top to capitalise on this? I seriously doubt it as we were in the ridiculous position of paying broadcasters to screen some games, and even our beloved team refusing broadcasting rights to one of our games. It needs sorting out and pretty quickly but I honestly can't see Sky/BT falling over each other to cover our league, unless of course Rangers go up in the play offs which might change things a bit.

Lago
05-02-2015, 02:50 PM
Spot on.

Almost exactly what Barry Hearn tried to tell the blazers at Hampden when he tore them apart a couple of months ago. Stop trying to compete or compare with the EPL and sell and support your own product.

The fact our leagues have no sponsor is a disgrace. The sponsorship should have been gifted to a charity or charities if one couldn't be found. Not only would it have been a decent thing to do, it would also have demonstrated to potential sponsors the audience that could be reached.
You will never stop people/organisations making comparisons to do so is to accept medicocrity. Totally agree re sponsorship, Doncaster should be sacked.

lord bunberry
05-02-2015, 02:50 PM
Until the SPFL starts listening to it's customers the downward spiral will continue

Lago
05-02-2015, 03:04 PM
Bang on in both points Pshouldn'ter .... Ourers are comparing our game to what they see on TV and that's a big problem we need to get around. If I had my way EPL and Spanish football would be severely restricted in Scotland. Unless SKY and BT were willing to admit the detrimental affect their saturation coverage is having on our game and compensate us accordingly.
But it's not just Sky/BT that is the problem, how many on here were watching Bolton - Liverpool last night, a good few I would guess and that was BBC. How many watch MOTD and groan if it is proceeded by Sportseen.
BBC pay £240 mil for MOTD highlites, supper studio and pundits, we get Sportseen filmed in cupboard with Michael Stewart as a pundit. No wonder the kids all wear EPL tops.
So we should be content with what weve got, no we shouldn't we are worth more and should be getting more, time Scottish foorball got off its backside and stood up for it's self.

patlowe
05-02-2015, 03:11 PM
Scottish football has to get it's own identity and keep well clear of any comparisons with the EPL. BBC average more than 4 million viewers for MOTD, while a big live Scottish match can attract about 250k viewers. There is a product to sell, as average punters through the gates have increased since Rangers went belly up. Do we have the people at the top to capitalise on this? I seriously doubt it as we were in the ridiculous position of paying broadcasters to screen some games, and even our beloved team refusing broadcasting rights to one of our games. It needs sorting out and pretty quickly but I honestly can't see Sky/BT falling over each other to cover our league, unless of course Rangers go up in the play offs which might change things a bit.

I'm not so sure about this but if the people in charge keep talking about our league with such disdain and continue to talk about the pitiful TV money we get (compared to England) as if it's some gift from the gods then you might be right. We have a (relatively) decent product on offer, we have some big clubs with decent and loyal supports, and we have broadcasters that have schedules to fill. We need to stand up for football in this country and demand that we get what it's worth. We need to be radical and ambitious - continuing to scrape around on what SKY and BT give us is only going to see us going one way - down. If we lost the TV money then, yes it would be hard at first, of course it would, but finding our true level might just be what football in this country needs to buck up its ideas and actually come up with a sustainable plan for improvement. A future of subservience to the whims of television will see a continuing spiral of diminishing returns on and off the park IMO.

NAE NOOKIE
05-02-2015, 03:26 PM
But it's not just Sky/BT that is the problem, how many on here were watching Bolton - Liverpool last night, a good few I would guess and that was BBC. How many watch MOTD and groan if it is proceeded by Sportseen.
BBC pay £240 mil for MOTD highlites, supper studio and pundits, we get Sportseen filmed in cupboard with Michael Stewart as a pundit. No wonder the kids all wear EPL tops.
So we should be content with what weve got, no we shouldn't we are worth more and should be getting more, time Scottish foorball got off its backside and stood up for it's self.

Agree the Sportscene coverage is less than slick, but not about Stewart who is pretty decent if you ask me. But that's the problem the football authorities, clubs and TV have, their marketing is poor.

Its a small thing but indicative of the problem. From where I sit I can see this years Hibs calendar, the first picture is of Liam Craig with a white wall as background. The second picture is Liam Fontaine with a background of totally empty green seats. Can you imagine a big club releasing a calendar of 'action shots' with not a fan in sight. FFS is it too much to ask that the photographer position themselves to get a crowd backdrop.

Pretty Boy
05-02-2015, 04:03 PM
But it's not just Sky/BT that is the problem, how many on here were watching Bolton - Liverpool last night, a good few I would guess and that was BBC. How many watch MOTD and groan if it is proceeded by Sportseen.
BBC pay £240 mil for MOTD highlites, supper studio and pundits, we get Sportseen filmed in cupboard with Michael Stewart as a pundit. No wonder the kids all wear EPL tops.
So we should be content with what weve got, no we shouldn't we are worth more and should be getting more, time Scottish foorball got off its backside and stood up for it's self.

I don't disagree but it's finding an angle or a gap in the market that's the tricky part.

The EPL money has inflated clubs that were historically smaller clubs into financial giants. I defy anyone to successfully argue that historically Wigan, Leicester, Hull etc are any bigger than Hibs, Hearts or Aberdeen. Likewise Man City and Chelsea are historically far smaller clubs than Rangers or Celtic. Still big clubs but not superpowers like now. Money has changed the face of thr game and as long as TV money in England is talked about in billions whilst in Scotland it's the very low millions we can't realistically compete in that sense.

For me it should be about selling our game in the best way we can. A league where we develop top young players, at least explore summer football, look at the league structure etc. For me a simple thing would be to improve the look of the games on TV. Nothing looks worse than big empty stands and flat atmosphere. Offer fans an incentive to fill from the front so it looks busier and generates a bit noise. Explore pricing structures, work with the BBC to make Sportscene lool a bit better etc

And for Gods sake those at the top could do with talking the gane up. It's no wonder so many fans would rather support United or City or Arsenal when those running the game here are so keen to talk it down. Highlight the good things, improve the bad and listen to the fans and it shouldn't be too hard to see an improvement.

JimBHibees
05-02-2015, 04:14 PM
Spot on.

Almost exactly what Barry Hearn tried to tell the blazers at Hampden when he tore them apart a couple of months ago. Stop trying to compete or compare with the EPL and sell and support your own product.

The fact our leagues have no sponsor is a disgrace. The sponsorship should have been gifted to a charity or charities if one couldn't be found. Not only would it have been a decent thing to do, it would also have demonstrated to potential sponsors the audience that could be reached.

Absolutely spot on especially about the charity the goodwill would have been amazing (Clic Sargeant or something like that) and it isnt really a surprise we cant find a sponsor when all the people doing the selling do is talk the game down.

H18 SFR
05-02-2015, 04:54 PM
We don't have the ability to give our clubs a decent playing surface for a national cup semi final, how can we honestly expect to sell our product. According to press reports, the old firm game was sold to around 50 countries at the weekend, I challenge anyone to give me one reason why they would return for second helpings. Our product is a joke.

chasitup
05-02-2015, 05:24 PM
Spot on.

Almost exactly what Barry Hearn tried to tell the blazers at Hampden when he tore them apart a couple of months ago. Stop trying to compete or compare with the EPL and sell and support your own product.

The fact our leagues have no sponsor is a disgrace. The sponsorship should have been gifted to a charity or charities if one couldn't be found. Not only would it have been a decent thing to do, it would also have demonstrated to potential sponsors the audience that could be reached.

That bit about a charity is genius! Brilliant idea. If only those that were paid hundreds of thousands to run the organisation could think like that!

ancient hibee
05-02-2015, 05:37 PM
Don't agree that banning other football is a good move-surely improving ours is the answer.We don't lose anything like the number of youngsters that we used to lose to england so we should be producing a better standard.It used to be said that an hour of studio time cost a million quid so TV is getting a real cheapo from Scottish football.

Lago
05-02-2015, 05:59 PM
Agree the Sportscene coverage is less than slick, but not about Stewart who is pretty decent if you ask me. But that's the problem the football authorities, clubs and TV have, their marketing is poor.

Its a small thing but indicative of the problem. From where I sit I can see this years Hibs calendar, the first picture is of Liam Craig with a white wall as background. The second picture is Liam Fontaine with a background of totally empty green seats. Can you imagine a big club releasing a calendar of 'action shots' with not a fan in sight. FFS is it too much to ask that the photographer position themselves to get a crowd backdrop.
I actually like Stewart myself, but the point I was trying, poorly, to make is MOTD will have a multitude of ex internationalist not just from England, but France, Netherlands etc.so Sportsean is the poor relation like so much of Scottisg football. Your point about marketing is spot on and the point another poster made about talking down our game is correct as well but I get so fed up with people saying ' what can we do'. How do teams from Croatia, Austria, Denmark, Sweden to name a few manage, they won't win champions league but they routinely give the so called big teams a fright.

Pete
06-02-2015, 02:01 AM
People around the world love English football because of it's heritage. They want to associate themselves with a club within the spiritual home of football.

What other country in the world has such an iconic national stadium with a history of great matches? What other country has the majority of its clubs with roots dating back from the 19th century and a rich history of pioneering clubs contributing so much to world football?
What other country has thousands of newsreels of grim stadiums in the fifties that were bursting to capacity full of men who had finished their half day in the factory?
What other country has gritty club sides that done well in Europe in the sixties, seventies and eighties?
What other country is famous for being a source of a culture that mixes football violence with expensive clothing? (You might not like that one but it's something that a lot of people are interested in).


If another country did have all these things then all they would need would be a system in place that would ensure proper wealth distribution and therefore healthy competition. It would be be criminal for a country to have all these plus points and attributes yet ignore what is possible because they concentrate on making the select few richer.

HFC 0-7
06-02-2015, 02:15 AM
I don't disagree but it's finding an angle or a gap in the market that's the tricky part.

The EPL money has inflated clubs that were historically smaller clubs into financial giants. I defy anyone to successfully argue that historically Wigan, Leicester, Hull etc are any bigger than Hibs, Hearts or Aberdeen. Likewise Man City and Chelsea are historically far smaller clubs than Rangers or Celtic. Still big clubs but not superpowers like now. Money has changed the face of thr game and as long as TV money in England is talked about in billions whilst in Scotland it's the very low millions we can't realistically compete in that sense.

For me it should be about selling our game in the best way we can. A league where we develop top young players, at least explore summer football, look at the league structure etc. For me a simple thing would be to improve the look of the games on TV. Nothing looks worse than big empty stands and flat atmosphere. Offer fans an incentive to fill from the front so it looks busier and generates a bit noise. Explore pricing structures, work with the BBC to make Sportscene lool a bit better etc

And for Gods sake those at the top could do with talking the gane up. It's no wonder so many fans would rather support United or City or Arsenal when those running the game here are so keen to talk it down. Highlight the good things, improve the bad and listen to the fans and it shouldn't be too hard to see an improvement.

i agree that historically these clubs are smaller than hibs, however, it's not just money in the English leagues that are making them bigger, they are supported much better than hibs now. We moan about the money they get but we are, and have been seeing dwindling supports. Scottish fans have a massive part to play here, many just don't seem interested in the game, viewing figures are low and attendances are low. Why would tv companies rush to buy our rights?

Sky get get the blame all the time about how it's ruined football, I don't think they wanted to pay as much as they do for the rights, the demand is there and they are forced to do so. BT joining now makes things worse as its not just sky negotiating with the epl, they have to fight bt.

we complain about scottish football being boring etc, yet this season had the potential of being one of the most exciting in a long time but fans still don't seem that interested.

spike220
06-02-2015, 03:02 AM
The EPL is a disgrace, who wants to watch a bunch of millionaires playing football.

greenlex
06-02-2015, 03:32 AM
It will go pop eventually. From my perspective I'd like Scottish football to just tell the TV companies to bolt and let's get on with 3pm sat kick offs and find our level.

Winston Ingram
06-02-2015, 07:24 AM
It could even be worth more than £4bn.

BT are going to be in for it in a big way, as will Virgin.

On top of that, Sky really can't afford to lose this. There was recently a report criticising their business model for being far to reliant on this deal. If they lose it, Sky are goosed.

All of the above lead to the bids hitting obscene levels...and this isn't even including the foreign sales which will likely double it again.

Alex Trager
06-02-2015, 08:21 AM
It will go pop eventually. From my perspective I'd like Scottish football to just tell the TV companies to bolt and let's get on with 3pm sat kick offs and find our level.

This. I think they should let the tv deal
Run its course and get back to all thre I clock saturday fixtures.

Build from the beginning.

Make a product worth coming to see.
Then the tv will be interested.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

HappyAsHellas
06-02-2015, 08:50 AM
Hibs playing St Mirren was screened a couple of times and the first one on sky had a paltry audience (40,000)as it was on SS4 and clashed with an English game on SS1. SS1 screened the next game and had 220,000 viewers which was a higher viewing figure than a Birmingham v Newcastle game, so all is not lost. We cannot hope to muscle in on the English timetables so perhaps we should get used to Friday night football as people will watch the product on offer. It just seems sad that the presenters of MOTD get a much higher salary than is paid to all of Scottish football. We need positivity at the top, and badly, yesterday wouldn't be quick enough.

ScottB
06-02-2015, 09:08 AM
Fundamentally, we have some problems that will be hard to overcome, and arguably the biggest is unique to us.

Unlike other small nations, our broadcasters are the same as the big nation attached to us. I would imagine in, say, Denmark, or Belgium, the local broadcasting budget goes on their domestic league, then they pick up cheaper, foreign rights to show 'big league' games, but the local league is the priority. Here, our broadcasters spend a vast fortune to secure Premiership rights, and focus on that as a consequence, because as part of the UK, it's effectively a local league. Independence might have offered a way out of this unique problem, had future Scottish broadcasters been able to get cheaper, foreign rights to EPL matches it might have allowed our game to flourish on TV.

Secondly, the standard has collapsed. Again, because companies buying rights here have to view it in a UK context, is anybody down south going to watch St Mirren v ICT? Hell, how many in Scotland would watch that?

I'd be tempted to suggest we jack the whole concept in as it stands. BT and Sky are not going to get into a bidding war because our product has very limited appeal, and isn't going to attract the new subscribers they need like the Champions League or Open Championships will. Getting the games back to 3pm on a Saturday would probably lift attendances enough to make up for the loss of cash, with a highlights package and the possibility of screening the few matches with broader appeal live; Old Firm, Edinburgh Derby etc.

In short, hoping for more money because of what happens in England isn't the solution.

jacomo
06-02-2015, 02:05 PM
That bit about a charity is genius! Brilliant idea. If only those that were paid hundreds of thousands to run the organisation could think like that!

You're asking for vision and leadership here, both sorely lacking at the top of our game.

Doncaster is worse than useless, Regan's not much better.

Tinribs
06-02-2015, 07:43 PM
Spot on.

Almost exactly what Barry Hearn tried to tell the blazers at Hampden when he tore them apart a couple of months ago. Stop trying to compete or compare with the EPL and sell and support your own product.

The fact our leagues have no sponsor is a disgrace. The sponsorship should have been gifted to a charity or charities if one couldn't be found. Not only would it have been a decent thing to do, it would also have demonstrated to potential sponsors the audience that could be reached.

That does seem a good idea, but when we did finally find a paying sponsor, i wonder how they would feel about knocking Help The Aged or similar off the name of the league? Bad publicity maybe.

green&left
10-02-2015, 12:24 PM
That's the figures from last season. Cardiff City earning more than Bayern Munich and Dortmund combined!

**** no's what it'll look like next year.


14282

CB_NO3
10-02-2015, 12:43 PM
In the top 40 paid clubs in Europe this year, 20 come from the EPL. Even the Burnley chairman was laughing at the situation. He also seem pretty embarassed.

Haymaker
10-02-2015, 01:21 PM
My friend works for BT sports (in production I think? Never quite understood) and apparently it is openly spoken about that they are "going all out" for all the BPL rights. Expect the money to fly up.

Islington Hibs
10-02-2015, 05:21 PM
My friend works for BT sports (in production I think? Never quite understood) and apparently it is openly spoken about that they are "going all out" for all the BPL rights. Expect the money to fly up.


Over £FIVE BILLION or £10.9 million per game with Sky getting 5 packages and BT 2. That is twice what Hibs turned over for the entire last season. How can the SPFL possibly compete with that?

brianmc
10-02-2015, 05:22 PM
Just announced. For seasons 2016-19 Sky and BT will pay £5.136 billion!!!
Nae wonder fitba is knackered

StarMan10
10-02-2015, 05:25 PM
Ridiculous numbers. What a missuse of money.

Hibby Bairn
10-02-2015, 05:26 PM
My friend works for BT sports (in production I think? Never quite understood) and apparently it is openly spoken about that they are "going all out" for all the BPL rights. Expect the money to fly up.

Sky must have deeper pockets then I guess. :agree:

Hibby Bairn
10-02-2015, 05:27 PM
Ridiculous numbers. What a missuse of money.

Surely they are just paying for the product that their current and future customers want to see?

bingo70
10-02-2015, 05:29 PM
Makes me even less interested in the premiership.

Just a big game of fantasy football now, would be nice for their supporters of it meant ticket prices would come down now but I doubt they will.

Gatecrasher
10-02-2015, 05:30 PM
What a sickening amount if money.

3pm
10-02-2015, 05:33 PM
It's not going to stop either.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday games!

Eventually, you'll be able to buy a TV season ticket for your team.

3pm
10-02-2015, 05:34 PM
....and then 'I'm not going to ****in Stoke. I'll get PPV for a tenner instead'.

Billy Whizz
10-02-2015, 05:45 PM
The bottom team in the premiership will earn £100 million for one season.
Seemingly the new deal works out at an extra £10m per match, 70% increase on the current deal

Lago
10-02-2015, 05:51 PM
Over £FIVE BILLION or £10.9 million per game with Sky getting 5 packages and BT 2. That is twice what Hibs turned over for the entire last season. How can the SPFL possibly compete with that?
It can't and we have to accept it never will. I feel sorry for the younger generation of Hibs supporters because unlike fans of my generation they will probably never see Hibs competiting with, and beating, some of the best teams in Europe and England.

Malthibby
10-02-2015, 06:12 PM
Symptomatic of an utterly sick culture. Not very interested in English footie & less so now.

Pete
10-02-2015, 06:15 PM
It can't and we have to accept it never will. I feel sorry for the younger generation of Hibs supporters because unlike fans of my generation they will probably never see Hibs competiting with, and beating, some of the best teams in Europe and England.

Indeed. The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting cut off.

Welcome to another generation of Scottish kids saying that Scottish football is crap while dreaming about their once a year trip to Liverpool.

NAE NOOKIE
10-02-2015, 06:19 PM
It can't and we have to accept it never will. I feel sorry for the younger generation of Hibs supporters because unlike fans of my generation they will probably never see Hibs competiting with, and beating, some of the best teams in Europe and England.

That goes for fans of every club in all but 3 countries in Europe mate. If a club outwith England Spain or at a push Germany win the laughably titled 'Champions League' in the next 20 years I'll eat my hat and my shoes.

The UEFA 'fair play' ( ha, ha, ha ) rules will even prevent clubs like Monaco, PSG or any other club who find a mega rich sugar daddy from getting in on the act.

If the FA's of the countries outwith the big 3 had any baws they would get together now and tell UEFA to find a way to level the European playing field or get stuffed.

Haymaker
10-02-2015, 06:20 PM
Sky must have deeper pockets then I guess. :agree:

Must do. £5.1b. Utterly insane.

NAE NOOKIE
10-02-2015, 06:40 PM
Indeed. The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting cut off.

Welcome to another generation of Scottish kids saying that Scottish football is crap while dreaming about their once a year trip to Liverpool.

You have no idea how accurate that statement is mate. One of the kids who goes to games with us and has done for years goes on about Liverpool and that was exactly his comment on the way home from the Raith game when his dad was trying to make him see that he is a Hibby, not a bloody Liverpool fan...... " Hibs are crap compared to Liverpool" was his reply. His dads attempt to make him understand he was comparing Apples and Oranges fell on deaf ears.

Billy Whizz
10-02-2015, 06:41 PM
Must do. £5.1b. Utterly insane.

And who's going to be paying for all this?

Hibby Bairn
10-02-2015, 07:07 PM
And who's going to be paying for all this?

Mostly folk in Asia and other international geographies I would guess. The viewing audience in the UK is tiny compared to this.

jacomo
10-02-2015, 07:11 PM
Mostly folk in Asia and other international geographies I would guess. The viewing audience in the UK is tiny compared to this.

Revenues from the UK still disproportionately high though, eh?

Hibby Bairn
10-02-2015, 07:15 PM
Revenues from the UK still disproportionately high though, eh?

They are but I am guessing that they can recover a chunk of this as it is their cameras in the grounds providing the feeds that go internationally.

Only Albania and North Korea do not have an EPL rights package. :eek:

Haymaker
10-02-2015, 07:16 PM
And who's going to be paying for all this?

:agree:

Lago
10-02-2015, 07:19 PM
Revenues from the UK still disproportionately high though, eh?
Yes and I am sure we would all be staggered at the number of Scottish house holds with the top Sky sports package.

lucky
10-02-2015, 07:21 PM
Unbeatable money, guaranteed Celtic will be wanting in even more now. The reality of it is the EPL have done a fantastic job marketing their product but the SPLF and SFA have been ****ing hopeless at selling our game. If we are going to move on we need to stop commenting against them. They get more for 1 game that Scotland gets for a season. This deal will send Scottish football further down the pecking order. They will continue to sign the best players on the planet which will lead to the their lower leagues getting the best British players on higher salaries than Scotland can afford. Celtic compete against Championship clubs for players the rest of us league 1/2. This is a very bad deal for Scottish football.

NAE NOOKIE
10-02-2015, 07:36 PM
Unbeatable money, guaranteed Celtic will be wanting in even more now. The reality of it is the EPL have done a fantastic job marketing their product but the SPLF and SFA have been ****ing hopeless at selling our game. If we are going to move on we need to stop commenting against them. They get more for 1 game that Scotland gets for a season. This deal will send Scottish football further down the pecking order. They will continue to sign the best players on the planet which will lead to the their lower leagues getting the best British players on higher salaries than Scotland can afford. Celtic compete against Championship clubs for players the rest of us league 1/2. This is a very bad deal for Scottish football.

Utterly .... Good luck to the EPL for getting this deal, but there is no doubt the success of the EPL does us no favours and I would contend that our proximity to them geographically makes it worse for us than any other country. Has anybody ever done a study on this to see if there is a correlation between the demise of our game and the rise of theirs.

Orourke73
11-02-2015, 07:53 AM
Yes and I am sure we would all be staggered at the number of Scottish house holds with the top Sky sports package.

Why any true fan of Scottish football pays for Sky is beyond me. They're killing our game and anyone that subscribes to this dictatorship is fully compliant in the state we find our game. Our national team will soon be full of guys playing in the English conference leagues at this rate.

Winston Ingram
11-02-2015, 08:00 AM
But it's not just Sky/BT that is the problem, how many on here were watching Bolton - Liverpool last night, a good few I would guess and that was BBC. How many watch MOTD and groan if it is proceeded by Sportseen.
BBC pay £240 mil for MOTD highlites, supper studio and pundits, we get Sportseen filmed in cupboard with Michael Stewart as a pundit. No wonder the kids all wear EPL tops.
So we should be content with what weve got, no we shouldn't we are worth more and should be getting more, time Scottish foorball got off its backside and stood up for it's self.

Disagree about Stewart. He's probably the best pundit Sportscene have ever had. Admittedly not a huge achievement but he is very good:agree:

Aldo
11-02-2015, 08:02 AM
Was listening to a report on Talksport at tea time last nite and I didn't realise this

Barring La Liga in Spain the 3 teams relegated will each receive in the region of £100 million which is more than the likes of
Bayern/PSG/Juventus and the teams winning their respective leagues in Europe.

That is just insane.

I also think that Sky will have no problem whatsoever paying for this new deal via sponsorship and viewers in Asia etc (as someone else has already mentioned).

Our pishy deal in Scotland is the same as 2 EPL games.

We should sell the game as it is in our country and it's no where near (and never will be) the same as any other league (especially the EPL)

Winston Ingram
11-02-2015, 08:02 AM
Why any true fan of Scottish football pays for Sky is beyond me. They're killing our game and anyone that subscribes to this dictatorship is fully compliant in the state we find our game. Our national team will soon be full of guys playing in the English conference leagues at this rate.

Happy to be judged as an untrue fan. My season ticket and shares can no way make up for my monthly SKy/BT subscriptions.

Aldo
11-02-2015, 08:04 AM
Disagree about Stewart. He's probably the best pundit Sportscene have ever had. Admittedly not a huge achievement but he is very good:agree:

I agree about Stewart. Non biased and says it how it is without fear of upsetting anyone. That's what pundits should be like but apart from him it's far from that!

HIBERNIAN-0762
11-02-2015, 09:05 AM
Symptomatic of an utterly sick culture. Not very interested in English footie & less so now.

Agreed. I'm fed up watching the same teams week in week out full of foreign players gesticulating to referee's to book players, feigning injury, diving and blind as a bat managers saying "I didn't see it" (even when it happens right in front of them) you can keep it!

A truly obscene amount of money for a league that frankly isn't that good.

Hibby Bairn
11-02-2015, 09:35 AM
Agreed. I'm fed up watching the same teams week in week out full of foreign players gesticulating to referee's to book players, feigning injury, diving and blind as a bat managers saying "I didn't see it" (even when it happens right in front of them) you can keep it!

A truly obscene amount of money for a league that frankly isn't that good.

Let's be honest we would rather watch Liverpool v Spurs than Partick Thistle v Kilmarnock. And millions more around the world would do also. And that is why it is worth paying £5bn for.

Allant1981
11-02-2015, 09:43 AM
Why any true fan of Scottish football pays for Sky is beyond me. They're killing our game and anyone that subscribes to this dictatorship is fully compliant in the state we find our game. Our national team will soon be full of guys playing in the English conference leagues at this rate.

So i go watch hibs 3 out of 4 weeks but because i have sky that means im contributing to the killing of our game, what a load of rubbish

The_Exile
11-02-2015, 09:50 AM
We'll be having this same conversation when the TV rights cost 7 billion, then 10 billion, then 12 billion and so on. FWIW the Spanish, Italian and German leagues have better players, more entertaining matches and are a joy to follow. I watch the big games in England and any time Spurs, Newcastle or West Ham are playing, but the likes of Stoke v West Brom or Villa v Hull? Would actually rather break my own legs.

lord bunberry
11-02-2015, 09:54 AM
Why any true fan of Scottish football pays for Sky is beyond me. They're killing our game and anyone that subscribes to this dictatorship is fully compliant in the state we find our game. Our national team will soon be full of guys playing in the English conference leagues at this rate.

Sky aren't responsible for the problems scottish football faces, it's the idiots that run our game. Sky were pumping huge money into our game, but the powers that be thought they could do better.

HIBERNIAN-0762
11-02-2015, 10:34 AM
Let's be honest we would rather watch Liverpool v Spurs than Partick Thistle v Kilmarnock. And millions more around the world would do also. And that is why it is worth paying £5bn for.

I'm not talking about Scottish football, I don't watch it full stop unless we're playing, what I'm saying is I would rather watch lower league English football where you have 22 honest pros having a right go at each other rather than the pampered prima donnas in the EPL, the FA cup was a perfect example.

NAE NOOKIE
11-02-2015, 10:48 AM
Sky aren't responsible for the problems scottish football faces, it's the idiots that run our game. Sky were pumping huge money into our game, but the powers that be thought they could do better.

There is truth in that, but I wouldn't be so sure that the saturation level of EPL football isn't having an adverse affect on the way Scottish youngsters, and quite a few older people who should know better, view our game. There is also no doubt that TV money is enabling very low level English clubs with half the support of, for example, Hibs, Aberdeen or Dundee Utd to pay a lot more in wages.

The way the image of our game is handled could be a lot better and its the small things within our control that we do so badly. Allowing the TV folk to push kick off times for Hampden to 12:30 for Aberdeen v ICT for example. If one of the Scottish semis turns out to be QotS v Raith they will play it at Hampden in front of thousands of empty seats, instead of a nearly full Rugby Park, ER or Tynecastle .. how bad will that look to the viewing public .... it makes our game look small time.

In 2007 instead of a full Tynecastle the SC reply v Dunfermline was played in a near empty Hampden..... that how dumb the blazers are.

As I said before ..... To settle this debate its time the SFA / SPFL, or even Holyrood commissioned an enquiry into just how much the English gravy train affects professional football in this country.

In fact .... if UEFA would take the pound signs out of their eyes for 2 seconds and remember they are there for the whole of European football, perhaps they would do a similar study Europe wide. The continent is full of half empty stadiums every weekend.

Onion
11-02-2015, 10:52 AM
I'm not talking about Scottish football, I don't watch it full stop unless we're playing, what I'm saying is I would rather watch lower league English football where you have 22 honest pros having a right go at each other rather than the pampered prima donnas in the EPL, the FA cup was a perfect example.

Agree with this. Watching lower league matches with pros who play for the jersey, watched by small crowds of local, bonkers supporters has an honesty about it, which is sadly being squeezed out of the game. If the EPL continue down this track, the game will lose it's soul.

Scouse Hibee
11-02-2015, 10:52 AM
Why any true fan of Scottish football pays for Sky is beyond me. They're killing our game and anyone that subscribes to this dictatorship is fully compliant in the state we find our game. Our national team will soon be full of guys playing in the English conference leagues at this rate.


Scottish football fans who go to watch their local team home and away and also enjoy watching the English football on SKY are compliant in the demise of our game eh! What a daft post.

matty_f
11-02-2015, 11:03 AM
I don't think a massive gulf between Scottish and English Premier League football is necessarily a bad thing in the long run. When it was closer it was probably worse because only two clubs could stand any chance of competing.


Now there are no clubs that can compete financially with the EPL clubs so in theory the best way forward for Scottish football is to focus on making our leagues competitive and nurturing our own talent to generate income for the clubs.

NAE NOOKIE
11-02-2015, 11:06 AM
Scottish football fans who go to watch their local team home and away and also enjoy watching the English football on SKY are compliant in the demise of our game eh! What a daft post.

They aren't ..... The ones who never go near a Scottish football ground but are happy to pay £70 a month for SKY & BT are. Its even worse when these 'fans?' think that entitles them to tell me how crap Scottish fitba is doon the pub :grr:

green&left
11-02-2015, 11:38 AM
They aren't ..... The ones who never go near a Scottish football ground but are happy to pay £70 a month for SKY & BT are. Its even worse when these 'fans?' think that entitles them to tell me how crap Scottish fitba is doon the pub :grr:

This. Dafties don't realise they are the problem (or at least part of it).


Interesting stat for EPL Shirts sales in the capital.


Premier league shirt sales in Edinburgh are as follows:

Team - Total percentage of teams sales in Edinburgh

Arsenal - 4.9%
Chelsea - 4.37%
Newcastle - 4.09%
Man Utd - 4.81%
Man City - 6.30%

Scouse Hibee
11-02-2015, 11:58 AM
They aren't ..... The ones who never go near a Scottish football ground but are happy to pay £70 a month for SKY & BT are. Its even worse when these 'fans?' think that entitles them to tell me how crap Scottish fitba is doon the pub :grr:


I do both (attend Scottish games and pay for SKY & BT) and am happy to tell you down the pub how crap Scottish footie is :greengrin

Hibby Bairn
11-02-2015, 12:30 PM
The way the image of our game is handled could be a lot better and its the small things within our control that we do so badly. If one of the Scottish semis turns out to be QotS v Raith they will play it at Hampden in front of thousands of empty seats, instead of a nearly full Rugby Park, ER or Tynecastle .. how bad will that look to the viewing public .... it makes our game look small time.

In 2007 instead of a full Tynecastle the SC reply v Dunfermline was played in a near empty Hampden..... that how dumb the blazers are.



:agree: So true. This imo is one that could be easily immediately changed and make all SF's bar those involving Rangers or Celtic take place at a neutral ground other than Hampden.

green&left
11-02-2015, 01:00 PM
:agree: So true. This imo is one that could be easily immediately changed and make all SF's bar those involving Rangers or Celtic take place at a neutral ground other than Hampden.

Problem is there isn't enough (or any infact) mid-sized grounds. There was almost 30k at the recent Dundee Utd v Aberdeen semi final played at Hampden.

lord bunberry
11-02-2015, 01:01 PM
There is truth in that, but I wouldn't be so sure that the saturation level of EPL football isn't having an adverse affect on the way Scottish youngsters, and quite a few older people who should know better, view our game. There is also no doubt that TV money is enabling very low level English clubs with half the support of, for example, Hibs, Aberdeen or Dundee Utd to pay a lot more in wages.

The way the image of our game is handled could be a lot better and its the small things within our control that we do so badly. Allowing the TV folk to push kick off times for Hampden to 12:30 for Aberdeen v ICT for example. If one of the Scottish semis turns out to be QotS v Raith they will play it at Hampden in front of thousands of empty seats, instead of a nearly full Rugby Park, ER or Tynecastle .. how bad will that look to the viewing public .... it makes our game look small time.

In 2007 instead of a full Tynecastle the SC reply v Dunfermline was played in a near empty Hampden..... that how dumb the blazers are.

As I said before ..... To settle this debate its time the SFA / SPFL, or even Holyrood commissioned an enquiry into just how much the English gravy train affects professional football in this country.


In fact .... if UEFA would take the pound signs out of their eyes for 2 seconds and remember they are there for the whole of European football, perhaps they would do a similar study Europe wide. The continent is full of half empty stadiums every weekend.

The genie is out of the bottle as far as live football is concerned due to the amount of money it generates for the clubs. Scotland to a certain extent was riding that gravy train, but we decided the grass was greener.
Our only chance in this country is to become real community clubs and attract the youngsters through community led initiatives. The press and the idiots running our game constantly compare us with England when we should be focusing on the positives that our game has. An end to stupid kick off times and prices that are more affordable to working class people should be the aim.

lord bunberry
11-02-2015, 01:02 PM
Problem is there isn't enough (or any infact) mid-sized grounds. There was almost 30k at the recent Dundee Utd v Aberdeen semi final played at Hampden.

When hearts finally get that new stand finished we'll have one

jgl07
11-02-2015, 01:33 PM
When hearts finally get that new stand finished we'll have one
No. By the time that is built the other three will have fallen down.

Lago
11-02-2015, 01:47 PM
Reading today that Ross Countys Chairman thinks part time football is inevitable in Scotland's top league in the next 2 to 3 years the way things are going. Its hard to disagree and maybe as fans we have to moderate our ambitions to avoid becoming totally disallusioned with the game here.

Hibby Bairn
11-02-2015, 02:10 PM
Problem is there isn't enough (or any infact) mid-sized grounds. There was almost 30k at the recent Dundee Utd v Aberdeen semi final played at Hampden.

I was at the Barry Hearn presentation at Hampden a few months ago. What he was banging on about was making the product better looking for tv and sponsors. And also for those actually attending games.

Surely that is better achieved with Dens Park (for example in the Aberdeen v DU SF) bursting at capacity than a half empty soulless Hampden Park. Travel costs are less for those attending, selling tickets wouldn't be an issue and it creates a good looking and exciting product for tv.

Hindsight is great but actually Scottish Football would have been better having most top tier teams with a ground the size of Livi's. I include Hibs in that. Packed every week, great atmosphere and looks much better on tv and in media footage and photographs. The matchday experience is also much better for the paying fan.

I would go further and make all stadia astro 3g to encourage better passing football on better surfaces. We can't afford the heat lamps up here so invest in 3g and at the same time stadia can be used for training and wider community use and increase revenues.

Stop trying to keep up with the neighbours and reinvent the model.

green&left
11-02-2015, 03:03 PM
I was at the Barry Hearn presentation at Hampden a few months ago. What he was banging on about was making the product better looking for tv and sponsors. And also for those actually attending games.

Surely that is better achieved with Dens Park (for example in the Aberdeen v DU SF) bursting at capacity than a half empty soulless Hampden Park. Travel costs are less for those attending, selling tickets wouldn't be an issue and it creates a good looking and exciting product for tv.

Hindsight is great but actually Scottish Football would have been better having most top tier teams with a ground the size of Livi's. I include Hibs in that. Packed every week, great atmosphere and looks much better on tv and in media footage and photographs. The matchday experience is also much better for the paying fan.

I would go further and make all stadia astro 3g to encourage better passing football on better surfaces. We can't afford the heat lamps up here so invest in 3g and at the same time stadia can be used for training and wider community use and increase revenues.

Stop trying to keep up with the neighbours and reinvent the model.

Getting a sponsor might have been easier if the eejits running Scottish football and the press weren't going around shout 'Armageddon' when the old huns died.

Struggling to grasp the logic of putting a semi final that attracted 30,000 fans to a stadium of 11,000. Turning back potentially 20,000 fans? Mental.

Was at the Hertha Berlin game on Wednesday there, stadium well less than half full however you would never have guessed it due to the atmosphere. Whole end (15k?) stood and bouncing all night with affordable tickets, bevvy and grub a plenty in and around the stadium. Made for a great night.

Agree on the 3G pithes however as per QotS, Alloa and Killie there's nothing stopping clubs putting artificial surfaces in if they can't afford the running costs of grass and groundsmen.

Hibby Bairn
11-02-2015, 03:19 PM
Getting a sponsor might have been easier if the eejits running Scottish football and the press weren't going around shout 'Armageddon' when the old huns died.

Struggling to grasp the logic of putting a semi final that attracted 30,000 fans to a stadium of 11,000. Turning back potentially 20,000 fans? Mental.

Was at the Hertha Berlin game on Wednesday there, stadium well less than half full however you would never have guessed it due to the atmosphere. Whole end (15k?) stood and bouncing all night with affordable tickets, bevvy and grub a plenty in and around the stadium. Made for a great night.

Agree on the 3G pithes however as per QotS, Alloa and Killie there's nothing stopping clubs putting artificial surfaces in if they can't afford the running costs of grass and groundsmen.

Sorry didn't realise Dens Park was only 11,000 now....thought it was nearer 18,000. OK. Replace Dens with Tynie.

The point was that it looks better and sounds better for the tv companies and the watching tv viewers - which is where Scottish Football needs to up its game. Imagine if the Ally Pally was half full when the darts were on - not quite so good on tv and less people will probably watch meaning less revenues for tv from adverts and from sponsors for the darts.

Ozyhibby
11-02-2015, 03:32 PM
Burnley are now a bigger club than Ajax thanks to this deal.
Hearn is correct. We have to make the product look good for TV. Half empty stadiums don't do that. That means closing the top tier of the famous 5 when its not needed. Same at every other ground in the country.
Summer football would also help, as it would give us three months where we are not competing with the EPL.

jdships
11-02-2015, 04:14 PM
Just had a chat with a friend whose son , a Scot, plays for an English Premier League side.
The UK born players have asked the Players Union to set up a meeting with the Directors to clarify what is going to be done with the " new money" that is on the table.
Their concern is that more and more highly priced/paid overseas players will be brought in at the expense of UK lads

My feeling is if this happens then it will have a serious effect on the English National side with less opportunity for young players to play at a higher level.
Is David Moyes right in suggesting Uk yoiungsters should try their luck abroad ?

:confused:

Lucius Apuleius
11-02-2015, 04:24 PM
Just had a chat with a friend whose son , a Scot, plays for an English Premier League side.
The UK born players have asked the Players Union to set up a meeting with the Directors to clarify what is going to be done with the " new money" that is on the table.
Their concern is that more and more highly priced/paid overseas players will be brought in at the expense of UK lads

My feeling is if this happens then it will have a serious effect on the English National side with less opportunity for young players to play at a higher level.
Is David Moyes right in suggesting Uk yoiungsters should try their luck abroad ?

:confused:

Don't think there is any doubt that they will bring in yet more foreigners on ever higher wages at the expense of British players. I think the England team is already feeling the problem associated with too many foreigners and it will only get worse.

greenlex
11-02-2015, 04:25 PM
The AVERAGE premiership wage is over 38k per week!!!!!!!!!!!

TowerHibs
11-02-2015, 04:31 PM
Majority of that money leaves the game and goes into individual pockets....Be it managers, players and agents.

Gareth Bale transfer for example took 6 agents (all getting a cut) and 5 months to complete. Are you trying to say that couldn't be done in a week or so.....or was the delay manufactured for deadline day and the sale of advertising space on sky sports.

As someone said, Scottish game needs to break away and find its identity. Summer football, rule changes, league structures. Something that will make people talk (may ruffle a few feathers) but do something. Doncaster and Ragen have been as bad for the Scottish game than anything. Clueless, no leadership or passion. However Doncaster is representing the SPFL therefore club chairman need to have a word.

Islington Hibs
11-02-2015, 04:55 PM
When I was a young child Hibs did and could compete with Liverpool, Leeds and the best in Europe. A generation before we beat Barcelona, Napoli and Roma. We even beat a small Swedish team called Malmo 7-1. It is now impossible to believe any Scottish team can ever play at that level again. Look at how well we did against Malmo last season as an example as to how far the Scottish league has declined.

It is party Sky, partly Bosnan, partly local incompetence and the dull dominance of Celtic. One Sky game in England is worth more than an entire season's turnover at Easter Road and as others have pointed out hitherto tiddlers in England, literally in the third tier, have as much cash as we do. We simply cannot try and compete at that level so long as there is no TV cash (and given the population and lack of global brand there never will be)

I am not sure what the right answer is (there are positives and negatives to each but there are three basic choices.

1. Accept the situation, play to our strengths, develop youth, focus on community and local loyalty and recognise that we just might win the odd cup but the best we can hope for is a mini Euro run perhaps to the 3rd round at very best. That goes for every other Scottish team too. However in the long term this is about inevitable decline as the youth, brought up on Ronaldo will find the SPFL dull and a one horse race.

2. Restructure the league. 'Encourage Celtic and their bust cousins to leave and create a small but competitive Scottish league. I would guess the likes of us, Aberdeen etc may even see increased gates but it would be small fry on the European stage with little sponsorship. A posh Irish league.

3. Accept the game is up and seek merger with the 3rd tier of English football. Given Hibs/ Hearts/ Aberdeen etc support in time we would make the Championship and if Burnley can make the top tier why not Hibs? This clearly goes against all history but would help the finances and in time perhaps allow Hibs to make the highest level.


I am not sure what the answer is but the current structure is not sustainable.

Hibby Bairn
11-02-2015, 05:12 PM
One positive should be more Scots youngsters getting game time which should benefit national team. Opposite of what will happen in England.

givescotlandfreedom
11-02-2015, 05:45 PM
I agree we are never going to get even a remote percentage of the English deal and sadly that's reality. I did come nachos a couple of Scottish guys who were on a train going to watch their EPL (and only them) team who were moaning about the state of Scottish football. Irony rather lost on the

lord bunberry
11-02-2015, 06:27 PM
I agree we are never going to get even a remote percentage of the English deal and sadly that's reality. I did come nachos a couple of Scottish guys who were on a train going to watch their EPL (and only them) team who were moaning about the state of Scottish football. Irony rather lost on the

I thought nachos would support a Mexican team

seanshow
11-02-2015, 06:46 PM
If you are a subscribing to either of these companies you are contributing to the problem and shafting Scottish football in the process,
Until they match the SPFL TV deal in percentage terms with the amount of Scottish subscribers (something like 8% of £5 Billion) they can gtf!!

I don't subscribe but have a season ticket @ ER and happily pay money at the gate around Scotland.......which I think makes me an uberfan. :greengrin

bingo70
11-02-2015, 07:03 PM
http://m.stv.tv/sport/football/clubs/aberdeen/309964-calls-made-for-scottish-football-equivalent-of-the-barnett-formula/

Good point about the BBC. I can't see us getting very far with sky though.

Billy Whizz
11-02-2015, 07:07 PM
http://m.stv.tv/sport/football/clubs/aberdeen/309964-calls-made-for-scottish-football-equivalent-of-the-barnett-formula/

Good point about the BBC. I can't see us getting very far with sky though.

It is, but people can't boycott the BBC, but they can with Sky

jdships
11-02-2015, 07:11 PM
The AVERAGE premiership wage is over 38k per week!!!!!!!!!!!

WOW that is amazing !!!!!
Thanks for thatr info :thumbsup:

Billy Whizz
11-02-2015, 07:13 PM
WOW that is amazing !!!!!
Thanks for thatr info :thumbsup:

Nothing average about that wage

GreenCastle
11-02-2015, 08:38 PM
I think Celtic will suffer here.

While they may continue to get money through the champions league - they are stuck in Scotland and I doubt they will challenge in the champions league with the vast amount of money elsewhere.

England doesn't need them and they would have to begin at the bottom of the English league structure if they moved.

The Scottish game needs reviewed..league structure - summer season - price to watch a game - expensive food - standing sections - alcohol being served - rubbish national stadium.

Most other teams are living within their means but still the product looks terrible with empty seats and crap pitches.

Whoever is responsible for getting sponsorship should be sacked.

Carheenlea
12-02-2015, 12:27 PM
I have long since shown any interest in English football, not that I ever was a great watcher if it, but I know a lot of people now who used to be fanatical viewers who have now lost interest. I couldn't tell you is top of their league, or indeed who even won the thing last season. The latest financial deal pushes its relevance to me even further away. That said, my relatives in Ireland are showing no sign of losing interest in the EPL, they and their friends are obsessed with it as are the Irish press. I'm sure they probably couldn't tell me who is top of the Irish League, but can reel through the English sides with great knowledge. This is obviously being replicated in country's the world over. The reason why though beats me.

Peevemor
12-02-2015, 12:40 PM
]I have long since shown any interest in English football, not that I ever was a great watcher if it, but I know a lot of people now who used to be fanatical viewers who have now lost interest. I couldn't tell you is top of their league, or indeed who even won the thing last season. The latest financial deal pushes its relevance to me even further away.[/B] That said, my relatives in Ireland are showing no sign of losing interest in the EPL, they and their friends are obsessed with it as are the Irish press. I'm sure they probably couldn't tell me who is top of the Irish League, but can reel through the English sides with great knowledge. This is obviously being replicated in country's the world over. The reason why though beats me.

Ditto - same goes for the Champions League. The money involved disgusts me.

Since 'Bosman' it's been difficult enough to identify with most players staying 2-3 seasons maximum with any given club, but add to that the obscene money earned by some at a time when poverty is on the increase? Nah! You can ram it.

LincolnshireHib
12-02-2015, 12:50 PM
Reports that the next round of tv bidding for EPL rights could be worth up to £4 billion. The rich get richer and the SPFL can't even attract a sponser, what chance have got.

To be fair, you are using the term 'English football' and 'the rich' fairly loosely there. We're talking about 20 clubs. English football has much more depth than that. My team, Grimsby Town, get nothing from this.

LincolnshireHib
12-02-2015, 01:01 PM
https://theliquidfootballblog.wordpress.com If you click the link and scroll down, some of you may be interested to read my proposals for Scottish and Irish football. My article was recently published in Late Tackle magazine too. There will be more articles to come, I've recently taken a break due to a broken collar bone. Please check back. For a bit of background - I was a Hibs season ticket holder during my time as a student in Edinburgh and I am currently a season ticket holder (2nd season) at St. Patrick's Athletic. As you will have noticed above, I am a Grimsby Town supporter and I follow Boston United a bit too.

Baader
12-02-2015, 01:02 PM
The big problem is that Scottish Football continues to be run by narrow minded idiots.

It would also help if people supported clubs in their area by going along. Way before Sky I knew people who grew up in Leith - some within view of the stadium - who claim allegiance to Celtic. English football benefits from having a great number of big well supported clubs.

English football has transformed itself from having such low stock in the 80s - association with hooliganism, talk of identity cards, electric fences to being a global multi billion pound business. For better or worse - and I agree the money is ridiculous, the hype excessive and harmful to the game - it has been quite a turnaround from those days when they practically couldn't give the rights away.

NAE NOOKIE
12-02-2015, 01:38 PM
https://theliquidfootballblog.wordpress.com If you click the link and scroll down, some of you may be interested to read my proposals for Scottish and Irish football. My article was recently published in Late Tackle magazine too. There will be more articles to come, I've recently taken a break due to a broken collar bone. Please check back. For a bit of background - I was a Hibs season ticket holder during my time as a student in Edinburgh and I am currently a season ticket holder (2nd season) at St. Patrick's Athletic. As you will have noticed above, I am a Grimsby Town supporter and I follow Boston United a bit too.

An interesting article LH ... I have long advocated something like this as many of my historic posts on the subject show.

Unfortunately some of the stats don't exactly make a helpful case for my point of view. The best supported club in the Republic is Shamrock Rovers with an average of 3,112 That's in a city of over one million people, any proposed Celtic league would have to be confident of some serious improvement on that to make the league viable.

Unfortunately like it or not the sectarian crap is also a factor ... can we envision a scenario where the good people of Dublin. Cork or Galway would be happy to see hordes of 'The Rangers' fans descend on their city. I doubt the sane people of Belfast or Londonderry / Derry would welcome a visit from either of the OF.

Also, if the league did involve teams from Belfast and Londonderry / Derry you would have cross border matches with the possibility of sectarian violence.

Before any move was made to look at this some hard hitting and serious viability studies and market research would have to be done. Bearing in mind that a sea crossing is involved it would have to be a summer league.

Radium
12-02-2015, 01:38 PM
Some more Ronny Deila context. The domestic TV deal in his homeland of Norway is £45m per season (h/t @jmcginley13) http://t.co/wiudxBNHyw tweet from Grant Russell STV. Our deal is around 12-15 per season. Suggests that the SPFL have peddled the rights for way below a market value.

NAE NOOKIE
12-02-2015, 01:50 PM
Some more Ronny Deila context. The domestic TV deal in his homeland of Norway is £45m per season (h/t @jmcginley13) http://t.co/wiudxBNHyw tweet from Grant Russell STV. Our deal is around 12-15 per season. Suggests that the SPFL have peddled the rights for way below a market value.

Wow ........ that magnifies the incompetence of our administrators tenfold :bitchy:

KeithTheHibby
12-02-2015, 01:52 PM
Some more Ronny Deila context. The domestic TV deal in his homeland of Norway is £45m per season (h/t @jmcginley13) http://t.co/wiudxBNHyw tweet from Grant Russell STV. Our deal is around 12-15 per season. Suggests that the SPFL have peddled the rights for way below a market value.



I am not surprised given the complete cock we have in Doncaster running the game up here.

southsider
12-02-2015, 02:09 PM
We really need to improve the game and market it much better. If we could encourage 4 out of 100 people in the Edinburgh/Lothians area to come along to ER what a difference that would make.

HappyAsHellas
12-02-2015, 02:48 PM
We really need to improve the game and market it much better. If we could encourage 4 out of 100 people in the Edinburgh/Lothians area to come along to ER what a difference that would make.

There are two teams in our catchment area and 4% would equal about 20,000 which is about right for average home games between us. As many countries only get 2 - 3% per capita we're not doing too badly. If we were challenging at the top of the SPL I'm sure we'd average at least 12k per home game.

LincolnshireHib
13-02-2015, 12:34 PM
An interesting article LH ... I have long advocated something like this as many of my historic posts on the subject show.

Unfortunately some of the stats don't exactly make a helpful case for my point of view. The best supported club in the Republic is Shamrock Rovers with an average of 3,112 That's in a city of over one million people, any proposed Celtic league would have to be confident of some serious improvement on that to make the league viable.

Unfortunately like it or not the sectarian crap is also a factor ... can we envision a scenario where the good people of Dublin. Cork or Galway would be happy to see hordes of 'The Rangers' fans descend on their city. I doubt the sane people of Belfast or Londonderry / Derry would welcome a visit from either of the OF.

Also, if the league did involve teams from Belfast and Londonderry / Derry you would have cross border matches with the possibility of sectarian violence.

Before any move was made to look at this some hard hitting and serious viability studies and market research would have to be done. Bearing in mind that a sea crossing is involved it would have to be a summer league.

I agree about the stats now although Cork City had a better average attendance last season down at Turner's Cross. They created a brilliant atmosphere in the Rebel County. The League of Ireland, like Scotland, has history with good crowds and I believe they are low at the moment due to the interest in overseas (mainly the Premier League in England) interests. If you look at Irish football in the 60s and 70s, the crowds were as good as GAA. I understand that the crowds would not come back immediately, you have to build and create a product - as the English Premier League has shown - in order for them to return. There were 45,000 people at a Shamrock Rovers v Liverpool Reserves last summer - there's your benchmark for the big games.

Yes, sectarianism has to be an issue but the Setanta Cup was (is?) a cross border competition that went off with little or no trouble. If I remember rightly, the worst was some idiot Linfield fans who hoisted a Union Jack flag above a stand at one of the Dublin grounds. I thought this was both incredibly stupid and quite amusingly mischievous. It should be remembered that sport can go along way to breaking down barriers (hear hear to my blind optimism) and measures can be taken - limiting travelling support, banning away fans etc etc.

I thought a way of gauging interest for this would be to create some sort of survey and post it on the message boards of the proposed clubs and see what sort of response you would get. Survey Monkey do fairly hand free surveys and it would be interesting to see the results. It would take more time and people than I have though to create the League proposal tried enough to prequel the survey, and then load the survey to around 20-30 clubs message boards in the hope there would be a good participation level.

Thanks for reading though, I appreciate people taking a look and their feedback.

NAE NOOKIE
13-02-2015, 01:53 PM
I agree about the stats now although Cork City had a better average attendance last season down at Turner's Cross. They created a brilliant atmosphere in the Rebel County. The League of Ireland, like Scotland, has history with good crowds and I believe they are low at the moment due to the interest in overseas (mainly the Premier League in England) interests. If you look at Irish football in the 60s and 70s, the crowds were as good as GAA. I understand that the crowds would not come back immediately, you have to build and create a product - as the English Premier League has shown - in order for them to return. There were 45,000 people at a Shamrock Rovers v Liverpool Reserves last summer - there's your benchmark for the big games.

Yes, sectarianism has to be an issue but the Setanta Cup was (is?) a cross border competition that went off with little or no trouble. If I remember rightly, the worst was some idiot Linfield fans who hoisted a Union Jack flag above a stand at one of the Dublin grounds. I thought this was both incredibly stupid and quite amusingly mischievous. It should be remembered that sport can go along way to breaking down barriers (hear hear to my blind optimism) and measures can be taken - limiting travelling support, banning away fans etc etc.

I thought a way of gauging interest for this would be to create some sort of survey and post it on the message boards of the proposed clubs and see what sort of response you would get. Survey Monkey do fairly hand free surveys and it would be interesting to see the results. It would take more time and people than I have though to create the League proposal tried enough to prequel the survey, and then load the survey to around 20-30 clubs message boards in the hope there would be a good participation level.

Thanks for reading though, I appreciate people taking a look and their feedback.

That's the thing though mate regarding your last paragraph .... why should it be left to the likes of us to do that, you would think the geniuses who run our game would at least have considered a viability study by now.

Lago
14-02-2015, 04:44 PM
That's the thing though mate regarding your last paragraph .... why should it be left to the likes of us to do that, you would think the geniuses who run our game would at least have considered a viability study by now.
The Daily Record's hot line today summed it up for me the majority responding to Celtic mangers opinion that certain games down south were boring, they are, but opinion on hot line EPL fantastic Scottish football ****. Says it all.

LincolnshireHib
14-02-2015, 05:42 PM
That's the thing though mate regarding your last paragraph .... why should it be left to the likes of us to do that, you would think the geniuses who run our game would at least have considered a viability study by now.

If the SFA, FAI or IFA want to pay me to do it I'll happily oblige....